Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

My First Retr0brite Attempt!

Gamer9430

Gamer9430

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 22, 2014
2,248
1,405
USA
So I have been using my Apple Pro Keyboard with my MacBook Pro for awhile now, and it's always annoyed because of how dirty it was underneath the plastic cover and the fact that it was yellowed. So I took it apart and vacuumed it out and then I decided I would try my hand at Retr0briteing it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Retr0brite is the process of using Hydrogen Peroxide and UV light to reverse the yellowing in plastics. Basically, you submerge the yellowed plastic in the Peroxide (the lower the percentage, the slower the process is) and then leave it in the sun or under a UV light until the yellowing is reversed. I decided to buy 2 bottles of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide from Target ($.97 per bottle!) and poured it into a large catering tray and submerged the keyboard plastic in it. So far, I've had it out there since about 10:00AM this morning, and last I checked around 12:45PM, it actually seems like the yellow is lighter than when I first started. Sadly, the sky went from mostly sunny to overcast, so that will be slowing it down a lot, but it should still be working. I have pretty high hopes that it will look brand new once it's done! I'm going to be getting an IBM Model M at some point soon, so I may have to do it again depending on how bad it is, if at all. I also should do it with my other Apple Keyboards as well, like my several Keyboard IIs :) .

TL;DR for all the lazy people of the world :p :
I have a yellowed keyboard that I decided to reverse the yellowing by making Retr0brite, and so far its been working well!
 
If you go to a pet store (one that sells reptiles) getting a UV light should be easy and cheap.
 
Also, I just went outside to check again, I moved it back into the sun since it came back out, and I noticed it was floating, so I put a small rock on top of the most not yellowed area and now it's completely submerged in direct sunlight
 
3:30PM- it was completely covered in bubbles, so I lifted it out of the Peroxide to let the bubbles pop. I put it back in and because of the position of the sun right now, part of the right side isn't getting any light. I guess I should go rotate it now that I think about it...

Here are some progress photos!

Before-
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441222623.863644.jpg


During-

12:30:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441222662.036480.jpg


3:30
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441222679.561835.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441222899.544174.jpg
(rotated)
 
looking good! heh the only thing i have that id consider retro brighting would be my G3 beige but thats a big thing LOL at least I wont have any UV issues considering I own the mother of all UV light sources :p this is my Desk under a 80W 5ft UV Sun tanning tube with a built in reflector heh
IMG_0020 1.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
Gamer9430 said:
So I have been using my Apple Pro Keyboard with my MacBook Pro for awhile now, and it's always annoyed because of how dirty it was underneath the plastic cover and the fact that it was yellowed. So I took it apart and vacuumed it out and then I decided I would try my hand at Retr0briteing it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Retr0brite is the process of using Hydrogen Peroxide and UV light to reverse the yellowing in plastics. Basically, you submerge the yellowed plastic in the Peroxide (the lower the percentage, the slower the process is) and then leave it in the sun or under a UV light until the yellowing is reversed. I decided to buy 2 bottles of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide from Target ($.97 per bottle!) and poured it into a large catering tray and submerged the keyboard plastic in it. So far, I've had it out there since about 10:00AM this morning, and last I checked around 12:45PM, it actually seems like the yellow is lighter than when I first started. Sadly, the sky went from mostly sunny to overcast, so that will be slowing it down a lot, but it should still be working. I have pretty high hopes that it will look brand new once it's done! I'm going to be getting an IBM Model M at some point soon, so I may have to do it again depending on how bad it is, if at all. I also should do it with my other Apple Keyboards as well, like my several Keyboard IIs :) .

TL;DR for all the lazy people of the world :
I have a yellowed keyboard that I decided to reverse the yellowing by making Retr0brite, and so far its been working well!
Click to expand...
3%-that might take some time...
 
Day 2 of Retr0brite-

I stuck the keyboard outside today at about 9:00AM. It's absolutely beautiful out with not a cloud in the sky. I just got back inside from checking on it and it looks even lighter! So here are the pictures from today:

10:30AM-
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441291234.565430.jpg
 
jbarley said:
According to wiki, you might be missing a key ingredient, (active oxygen)
Click to expand...

Hmm. Well according to the iBookguy's first keyboard restoration video when he does the same thing that I'm doing with the keys. I guess if i don't see much of a change, I'll try using some oxy detergent.

It's also recommends against 3% since it takes forever, but I'm using it anyway :p
 
MisterKeeks said:
Yeah, that's the catalyst. Kind of a big deal.
Click to expand...
Yup, its important, the only thing keeping me from doing it, I just haven't put out the effort to find the detergent. I think Oxy-clean (WOW, OXY CLEAN, STAIN REMOVING FORMULA) will work, I even have some 12% Peroxide.

Also, I'd take whatever iBookguy says with a grain of salt, he speaks a bit too conservative for my tastes. He seems too concerned with web spys, and he uses strictly ethernet. Idk, just what I have gathered.
 
Gamer9430 said:
Hmm. Well according to the iBookguy's first keyboard restoration video when he does the same thing that I'm doing with the keys. I guess if i don't see much of a change, I'll try using some oxy detergent.

It's also recommends against 3% since it takes forever, but I'm using it anyway :p
Click to expand...
Gamer, any update on your success, or not!
 
jbarley said:
Gamer, any update on your success, or not!
Click to expand...

Yes actually, I decided to end the project back on Friday. The peroxide started evaporating, so I decided to not add more to it. It actually did turn out a lot less yellow than it was. It still has some yellow to it, but it's very light compared to what it was. I stuck it in the dish washer tonight to clean it off and remove the smell from it.

Overall, while it isn't completely resorted, it is a lot less yellow than it was, and I'm fine with it. Maybe one day I'll proceed with attempting to finish it off. Towards the end it just got annoying to try and keep it in the sun all day.

In the event I do this again, I should also should use the Oxy detergent and a higher percentage next time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back